Protestors Demand More Money For Restaurant Workers

Protestors Demand More Money For Restaurant Workers

Students from UK’S "United Students Against Sweatshops" held signs to raise awareness about the fast food workers' strike.

Thousands of fast food workers at restaurant chains across the country walked off the job today, demanding higher wages.

A typical worker at a fast food restaurant makes 7.25 dollars an hour -- less than 19 thousand dollars a year. That's about a thousand dollars below the federal poverty line for a family of three.

Protestors say they want to be paid 15 dollars an hour... a figure the fast food industry says is unrealistic and would lead to layoffs and siginificantly higher prices.

Here in Lexington, a student group from UK joined in the protests at the Mcdonalds on Limestone. About 15 students from UK’S "United Students Against Sweatshops" held signs to raise awareness about the fast food workers' strike.

They say fast food workers pay barely gives them enough to get by.

"employees at these fast food restaurants, uh, you know, uh, can't... can't necessarily afford to have three meals a day or can't afford to have healthcare for themselves, or, like, you know, can't afford a lot of these luxuries they deserve."